Submersible pumping systems are well known in the art for lifting liquids such as oil and water and typically comprise a pump and a motor. Traditional mechanical systems are problematic due to their mechanical nature, which is typically complex and contains many individual parts. Mechanical pumping systems often require equipment, such as protectors or seal sections, to service the pumping system. Mechanical pumps exhibit losses of overall efficiency such as motor slippage, pump efficiency, heat generation, mechanical friction, etc. Some mechanical pumps further require extensive shafting to transfer power from the motor on the surface to the downhole pump. The summation of all such mechanical components and systems provides a variety of failure mechanisms that inherently limit the reliability of mechanical pumping systems.
Therefore, there is a desire for a more direct method of transforming electrical energy into fluid displacement for a simpler, more reliable, and more efficient downhole pumping system.